


Perennial

by Venustas



Category: Divergent (Movies), Divergent Series - Veronica Roth, Original Work, Perennial, similar to diveregent
Genre: Divergent, F/M, Original Character(s), Original Fiction, Original Universe, original - Freeform, similar to
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-10
Updated: 2014-07-10
Packaged: 2018-02-08 08:06:27
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,301
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1933284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Venustas/pseuds/Venustas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>17 year old girl, Vesper Black, moves to her dad's house for senior year. She meets a very rude guy, Jay. She wakes up in a secret hideaway in a mountain. A place where one of the four types of Perennials train, live, and play until they finish their six month training. The Perennials are Necrosis, ESP(Extra Sensory Perception)s, Pressuras, and Somondre. She is an ESP, meaning she can hear thoughts. In her first month, she is called to the office where she learns that she will have to end training early. Vesper will go with 30 other ESPs on a secret mission. She may even find a love interest on the way.. or more than one.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sorry the prologue is short, but I already have 6 chapters finished.

**Prologue:**

 

Vesper Black

            I didn’t really give much thought to the kind of person I was nor did I give thought to what kind of person I wanted to be. I mostly spend my time thinking about what my parents really did when they were young and thriving. Sometimes I cry about it and sometimes I think about possible reasons why. Why was I conceived? My parents tell me I worry too much, when in reality, it’s me _thinking_ too much. I tell myself I shouldn’t think so much, but I can’t really help it. Thoughts just come into my mind like they own the place. Even though I’d like for them not to, they still do. I can’t explain it.

            “Mom, I promise I’ll be fine; you have nothing to worry about,” I state firmly. I pick my bags up and walk to the door. “Tell Moose I love him and that I’ll be back sometime.” I still can’t wrap my head around the fact that Mom lives with a big, slobbery hound. He’s the best dog in the world, but it gets a little lonely with just Mom and the dog. I accept that she’s still hurt and maybe even scared to get out there; I just wish she would walk out of this little shield.

            “You’ve always made me so proud, baby girl. I’m going to miss you, so you better call me every once in a while,” She walks over and gives me a bear hug, nearly suffocating me. She pinches my cheek and gives me a kiss on the forehead. I nod to her and smile genuinely. I will miss her too. Though I never let myself show emotion, I let it slip; as did the tear that fell from my eye. I can barely stand to look up at her again. “Don’t be upset, it’s only until you finish high school.” She says calmly while wiping the tear from my cheek. I smile a bit then imply we should go by opening the door and grabbing my luggage.


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter 1**

 

 

            The plane ride is long and the air was dry. I shiver with disgust as the man next to me begins picking at a scab on his arm. “Morris, cut that out! It’ll never heal if you keep picking it!” a woman, who appears to be his wife, shouts. He looks up at her and murmurs something rude under his breath. I sigh with a little disappointment and lie back in my seat, closing my eyes tight. I can still hear the screams of the kids and the snores of the elders. I still question myself on why I decided to take the plane and not a train. As much as I’d wanted to, I still took the plane ticket knowing that it would be faster.

            It isn’t much longer until I hear the screeching of the wheels extending and the plane bumping against the solid runway. It takes nearly 10 minutes for them to walk down to the exit, waddling as fast as their legs can carry them. I finally find my way through the airport terminals and see my dad waiting with his brand new, shiny Ferrari. Shame he wasted his money on that thing. He throws my luggage in the trunk and he opens my door. I slide in and roll my shoulders uncomfortably.

            “So, how was the plane ride?” he asks nervously. He sounds scared of me or as if I was his ruler or master. I didn’t answer for a while. I inhale and release while mumbling my answer softly. I can see him nod in my peripheral vision. I smirk at the thought of his car. He glances over at me and shoots me a confused look. “What?” he finally asks.

            “Nothing,” I manage to blurt out. “I just think it’s kind of weird you have a Ferrari…” I snort. He gives me a cold stare, then forces out a chuckle. Still nervous I assume from the worry lines and harsh grip he has on the steering wheel. His hands are white, but his face is red. I can tell this is going to be a rough start of a stay. I manage to survive the remainder of the slow car ride. Yet as home sick as I am, I keep my mouth shut and well aware of the surroundings. It is hot and the humidity is almost unbearable. I’m beginning to regret joining my father and his monotonous town.     

            When we pull into the driveway, we get out and Dad takes my luggage for me. I head up to the front door and he follows behind. I can hear him set the luggage down and his keys jingling. He eventually finds it and waddles through the door with my heavy luggage. I offer to help but he refuses saying I am his “guest”. It bothers me that he now sees me as a guest rather than his daughter. I guess whatever makes him happiest.

            I walk upstairs to the guest bedroom knowing where it is since I had visited when I was ten. Dad follows behind me closely to make sure I won’t get lost in his medium-large house. I stumble on the way up the half spiral staircase nearly making Dad fall.

            “Oops,” I mutter, embarrassed. I hit the top level and walk quickly towards the door that is ajar. It is a pastel green and had a tree decal on the wall beside the bed. He had it redecorated just for me. I am in awe. It is a warm, inviting room. Somewhere I can sit and enjoy my time alone. It has a large queen bed, a white desk with a laptop and desk lamp on it, and a wide window opposite of the door with the same color green curtains sheer enough to let in the cloudy weather light. I look around, still astonished by what a beautiful room this is. “Wow, Dad, this is beautiful. Was this all your idea?” I gasp. His blushing makes me chuckle and he smiles again, obviously satisfied with his color choices as well as my happiness. He sets my luggage on the bed which holds an off white comforter with a leafy design on it. I brush my hand over the silk pattern, softly and careful not to ruffle the perfectly smoothed out blanket.

            “Well, I’m very glad you like the room, and the laptop is new. ‘Figured you could use it for your senior papers and such.” He begins in an eager voice. “I’m going to let you unpack and I’ll help Marie start dinner.” He waves as he shuts the elegant door behind him. I sigh, turn around and begin to unpack. I put all of my clothes in the dresser and put my shoes by the door. I take my delicate knick knacks and put them on top of the dresser. I turn and notice a door beside the entrance. Had this always been here? I guess. I peek inside to find a very decently sized bathroom. It has soaps and contains a shower, bathtub, and a sink. Just above the bathtub is a window that looks like shards of glass that have been glued together, but seamless. It is beautiful. I glance toward the other end and see yet another door. I open the door thinking it is a closet; wrong. I have forgotten the idea of every bathroom having a toilet. I blush, luckily by myself so nobody sees. I spin around and walk out. I finish unpacking and lie on my bed while I doze off to a bizarre dream.

            I’m falling; faster and faster. I begin to spin. Spinning at a high speed, my whole body comes to a halt. I’m being shaken. My eyes burst open to my dad shaking my arm.        

            “Vesper, dinner’s ready.” It is dark out now. I check the clock on my side table. _8:00pm._ I shut my eyes once more and mumble that I’ll be down in a few. I hear him leave and I roll out of bed. I fix my messy hair and clean up a bit before heading down.

            _Steak_ I hear my dad say. Only, it doesn’t sound like he said it out loud. I quickly brush off that odd moment.

            _Where is the child? Does she not appreciate us making dinner?_ I “hear” Marie say. Is this – no, I can’t be hearing thoughts.

            I trudge to the large, open kitchen that holds a dining table larger than my bed. I sit down quietly and wait. I hear plates and glasses clinking in the kitchen while I sink farther into my chair. I shut my eyes and drown out the noise. I open my eyes and glance around quickly, searching for the door. I see Marie walk out; she is very beautiful and her face is sculpted just as a statue.

            “Hello, Vesper. It is very nice to meet you. My name is Marie. I am your father’s housekeeper. If you need anything, let me know darling.” I grin and thank her for her service though it will not be needed.

            It doesn’t take long for dinner to be over. It is merely fifteen minutes long. Therefore, I have more time to worry about my day tomorrow. Considering I’m lucky enough to join my dad on the day before school, I still could have waited a little while longer. Gathering my thoughts, my dad walks in with a smug look on his face.

            “You have to socialize tomorrow,” he points out with his still smug expression. I groan and flop back onto my bed. _She’ll be fine._

            Ignoring the odd voice I hear; I retort, “You know, when I’m rich and famous someday, you’re going to need me by your side twenty-four-seven.” I laugh nervously, covering up the fright of actually having to join a new school in senior year. Probably the worst time to enroll in a new school is in senior year. Everyone already has their friends and groups. My brown hair that flows to the middle of my back is always straight. Sometimes I’ll wear a ponytail or a bun. My eyes are blue and rather icy. Every day, I wear eyeliner on my waterline and some mascara; nothing flashy, but enough to bring out the color of my eyes. I don’t bite my nails, but I keep them trimmed. Lastly, my height; I’ve always been the in between one. I’m 5’5 and I wish I was taller and sometimes I want to be shorter. So being me, how do you think they would react to me at first glance?

            I lie in bed, still wondering if I can ditch. I can’t stop thinking about the voices as well. What _could_ I have done? Tell them I heard them say things that they really didn’t? It’s got to just be me being nervous, or thinking too much.


	3. Chapter Two

**Chapter 2**

 

 

 

            “Vess, get up. You have 45 minutes to get ready and leave,” I hear my dad mumble so it doesn’t startle me. “Also, you can use my old car. The GPS will take you to the school when you turn it on. Keys are on the counter next to the fruit bowl in the kitchen.” He nudges me and walks out. I continue my thinking from last night. I decide to get up after a couple minutes of self argumentation. I take my shower, get dressed quickly and spray on some perfume that smells like cinnamon apples and pumpkins. It takes me a couple of minutes to find my eyeliner and mascara but I roll it on my eyes quickly and brush my teeth. The last thing I need right now is breakfast. I can’t chance my weak stomach being nervous on the first day of school. I still have 15 minutes to get to school, which in my case is enough time for me. I pace back and forth and then go down stairs to make sure I haven’t forgotten anything. My backpack is turquoise, my favorite color, and my notebooks and binders match. I pull out my schedule and grab the keys. Marie isn’t around, so I walk right out the door. The garage contains 4 cars. Dad’s is gone and only one has a sticky note on it. A midnight blue Porsche; the sticky note said, “Surprise! Here’s your graduation present. It’s a little early. But oh well. Drive safely, Vess.”

            My jaw drops to the floor and I take a good look at my new car. Is this what it’s like being rich or something? I look at the keys in my hand and it has a keychain that says, “Vesper Black” My own keys. This is amazing. I unlock the car and get in. It smells a bit like my perfume, but sweeter. More like a hint of bubblegum and cotton candy. The interior is black leather, and the smell cuts through the sweet scent of the car freshener. I press the garage door opener that sat on the dashboard. I back out and remember I have no idea where I’m going. I switch on the GPS and it shows me a route that is 4 miles long. I back out and drive where it tells me. After about 6 or 7 minutes, I show up at a school that wrapped around into a C shape. The parking lot is large as is the school. It looks three stories tall.  I park in the back of the lot. I get lots of stares. Well, my car gets lots of stares. When I get out, the stares follow. I lock the car and start towards the school entrance. I hear whispers and laughs, but I keep my eyes and head straight ahead.  I get to the entrance and before my hand grabs the handle, I see a hand pull open the door. I spin around and look up. It’s a guy; a cute guy. His hair is dark brown. He’s tall and dressed very sporty. Shorts and a t-shirt that were school colors; the shoes were basketball style. He has muscle, attractive muscle.

            I look up and he gives a rather nasty looking face at me. It’s like he has a bad history with me. I open the door and walk in. He doesn’t bother to hold the door for me. I look around after pulling the door open and ease my way through the crowds of people. I finally get to my locker, which is covered by a crowd of people. I pull my bag off of my shoulder and lay it on the ground. It doesn’t take much for them to move; they see me and look a bit disgusted. I turn to hide my face and made sure there is nothing on it. I pull out my schedule and my binder that holds my paper and a couple pencils. I bow my head and walk off the first class. As soon as I get to class, I sit down. There are only about 5 other students in here before me. They all seem to be in their own group. The bell sounds and students filed into the classroom. I look around and the first person I notice is the rude guy. He’s sitting with a pretty blonde girl. She has nice clothes and her hair is long and curly. I touch my silky brown hair and sigh. Maybe I should have dressed up a little more. The teacher walks in and introduces himself as Mr. Burkley. As soon as he says that, I look at my schedule. AP Calculus, my worst nightmare. I fear this class because of my pathetic math skills. Yes, I did make the mistake of doubling up geometry and algebra II in sophomore year.

            “Now since we have a new student joining us, I’d like everyone to say their first and last name loud and clear.” He nods at a girl sitting near the door. She wears a pink blouse that has a black belt synched around the waist.

            “My name is Maddy Wilkinson,” she states just as she has been instructed. It is a pretty name. After a few names, it gets to the rude kid. He looks at me with a scowl and says his name in a blank tone.

“Jay ,” I grow irritated and my face got hot. It finally gets to me. I’m nervous, and it shows.

            “I’m Vesper Black,” I said in a soft voice.

“Could you please speak up a bit?” calls Mr. Burkley from the front of the room.

            “I’m Vesper Black,” I say louder, but still with a shy voice. Everyone watches me closely and then their eyes flicker away when the person behind me introduces themselves. After a whole class period of introductions, the bell rings right on time. Everyone files out as did I. I was the last person to walk through the door… or so I thought. I feel someone shove past me. I look up and see that it’s Jay.

            As I introduce myself to the class over the day, it becomes easier. Eventually, it’s lunch. Since everyone is hanging over my shoulder, it isn’t hard to find a seat. I sit next to Maddy, who I had met personally after English. She’s very nice, so she introduces me to her friends. At the table, Samantha sits to the left of me, Maddy sits on the right Heather sits across from me, and Helena sits next to Heather on her right. The last seat is empty. I’ve only gotten water; still not chancing anything.

            _Soon._ I look up immediately. It sounds like Jay. I feel confused and sink into my seat. Before I can really figure out what is happening, I get up, then stride off to gym.

            When I arrive, it smells terrible and it relieves me that I haven’t eaten all day. I just about lose it when I walk into the locker room. I begin breathing through my mouth and pull out the gym clothes my dad must have packed without me noticing. I knew there was something lumpy in my bag. It doesn’t take long to get dressed. I finish tying my shoes just as I see a small pair of feet walk up to me. I looked up to see a woman who looks thirty. She’s pretty and very petite.

            “Hello, you must be Vesper Black.” I smile at her. “I’m Coach Malee.” She holds out her hand and I shake it lightly. “If you need any help, just tell me.” She walks off and I follow. Gym is merely a waste of time. We run a few laps for warm up and we all play a game called King of the Court.  Spanish comes next; we play a game of review. It blows by quickly which leads to the end of the day. I stand around 5 minutes after the bells for everyone to leave the parking lot, but instead, I come outside to people standing around in the back of the parking lot. At first, I have no idea what is going on, and then I realize it. My car is expensive and it looks really nice. I’m not bragging or anything, but I admit it is a really nice car. Shooing them all away a bit of an issue. They continued to crowd, so I rev the engine until they all back away. I speed out a little too fast, but even teachers are still in awe by the car.

            “Good afternoon, Vesper.” Marie greets me as she walked through the door. I smile and wave a bit. _Can’t even greet me back? Rude, absolutely rude. I bet she also doesn’t even care about her new car. She doesn’t even deserve it. I actually work and she sits around doing nothing._ Anger built up inside of me as I hear her words shuffle through my mind.

            “Excuse me?” I say in a very angry tone. She looks at me like a lost, confused puppy. She hadn’t said that out loud. Only now am I realizing it was the voices. “Sorry, I thought you said something. Forgive me.” I apologize quickly, turning a bit red from embarrassment. She stomps off angrily. “Always have to open my big mouth.” I mutter under my breath as I stalk off to my room.

            I pull out some pajamas as soon as I drop my bag and keys on my bed. I lock my bedroom door and walk to my bathroom. It’s bright in here and warm. I start the shower and remove all of my makeup using a wipe. The shower is relaxing and rather peaceful. Once I finished cleansing myself, I got out and put my hair in a towel, then wrap another around myself like a dress. I unlock the bathroom door and walk out. I dry off completely and put my pajamas on. I grab my bag and keys and put them on my desk. I lie in bed and immediately I fall into deep sleep.


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter 3**

 

 

            I awake in a dark room, my arms are strapped down, and my legs as well. The only light comes from a lamp right above my metal bed. I can hear footsteps thumping in the hall way. I lay my head down and think about the kind of contraptions that will be killing me.

            “Awake now are we? And for the record, we aren’t going to kill you,” he says in a snooty tone. I glance at the belts holding me down and I pull, trying to release them. It begins to hurt so I stop. He looks at me and smirks, “You won’t get out,” he explains in a less rude tone. He walks up to me and begins to pull away the belts from my limbs. His hands are cold and soft. I tense up and look him in the eyes. They look like fire and ice. The outsides are icy blue and the areas next to the pupils are red; dark, fiery red. My eyes are an icy blue like his outer iris, but his are multicolored. I don’t realize he’s staring back. I turn quickly and close my eyes. Once he is finished, I sit up. My back hurts from the metal bed.

            “So where am I?” I question, not expecting an answer. He turns from what he is doing on the table and stares at me. _Later_ I hear in his voice. It sounds careful. He turns back to what he’s doing and after a while, he walks over to the door and motions for me to follow him.

            We walk down a dark, narrow hallway with only a few doors. He stops at one in particular, one that is a darker metal from the rest and has chrome details. He pulls it open to reveal a large, library-like room. It is very large, the size of maybe 15 football fields in all directions. It is all rock, so we must be in a cave or underground. He turns to me and says, “This is the Colossal Vault,” he says as he puts his arms behind his head. “We just call it the ‘Vault’, though.” He puts his hand on my back. It makes shivers run through my body. He points to a large portion of the cave; it contains punching bags, weights, weapons of all kinds and other exercise equipment. “Over there is the training center.”

            He leads me down a set of stairs that was carved into the rock. “Now,” he begins. “There are 4 types of Perennials. The first type, and the rarest, is a Necrosis. When their prey is cornered, they kill them.”

            “Can’t anything that’s cornered be killed?” I ask walking to the training center behind him. He slows his pace and shakes his head. I don’t understand.

            “Necroses can kill with their mind,” I stop dead in my tracks. What kind of creature could I be if I’m standing here? He turns and looks at me. “You, on the other hand, are an ESP,” he continues. Before I can ask any questions, he begins to explain. “ESP stands for Extra Sensory Perception. ESPs can communicate with other beings. They cannot hear you, but you can hear them; through a thought, that is…” he continues, walking. So I’m an ESP. “That rule does not apply to other ESPs though.”

            “What about my family, my old friends and new ones? I’m missing, and they’re going to freak out.” He turns back and says something that makes my mind go numb.

            “There is no Vesper Black in the world above. Every memory, every thought, every last piece of evidence of your existence has been wiped from planet earth. If they ever see you on the streets, they won’t remember or care.” My whole life, my family, friends, and everyone I care about. Everyone who cared about me…gone. I no longer have anything. Everything is spinning. I can’t stand up straight. I see Jay several feet ahead, running towards me. I’m falling. My mind is falling away from life. I feel someone grab me right before the universe goes black.

            There’s shuffling all around me; busy people moving. I open my eyes slowly then quickly with my hands to stop the bright lights from stunning my eyes. A hand touches me and lightly shakes my arm. It’s warm and solid.

~*~*~

            “Vesper, wake up,” I pull myself up and look over. It’s Jay. He stands in his uniform, staring down at me. “We need to get you food.” I look at him confused. I am hungry, but why does that matter? I motions for me to follow him and he walks out the door. I slide off the bed and look around what must be the infirmary. I head for the door, taking one last look before I pull it open.

            I walk out into a dark hallway with dim lighting just like the one I saw previously. “This way,” Jay says. He takes me to a large room that’s smells like food. He takes me to an empty table and tells me to stay. He comes back shortly with a tray of food and sets it down in front of me.

            “Meet me at the training center in 10 minutes,” he says before turning and walking toward the exit. “Take two lefts and a right through the metal door with ‘601’ on it.” he says while still walking. I stare down at my tray and begin picking at it. Macaroni and chicken nuggets, something I could eat forever. I finish in a few minutes, and head out of the cafeteria.

 _Two lefts and a right_ I think to myself. _601_. I reach the door and push it open. I follow the stairs that I was led down last time. I walk across to the training center and push open one of the two glass doors that leads into it. A thick glass surrounds the whole training center in the Vault. Jay stands by the punching bags, hitting them hard enough that it moves them back every time he punches.

            “I’m here,” I mumble. He turns and walks over to me, I feel my chest tighten. He nods for me to follow him. We head over to the punching bags and he positions his body in a defensive fashion. He puts his left arm behind his right and holds it near his neck, flat. He takes his right arm and holds it up diagonally and punches. The sound makes me step back.

            “Practice your punching and upper body strength for the next few hours. I’ll be training other ESPs. Any questions?” he asks while looking me square in the eyes. They’re still a gradient of fire and ice, the sun and the moon, heaven and hell.

            “Why am I here?” I blurt out, trying to break the silence.

            “You’re here because you have to be. You’re a danger to the human world.”

            “How am I dangerous to them?” I ask angrily. He turns the corners of his lips up and shakes his head, like I wouldn’t understand. “I’m serious!” I shout as he walks away.

            “I’ll be back in a few hours. Practice!” he yells behind himself.


	5. Chapter Four

**Chapter 4**

 

 

 

            My arms are sore and my abs hurt. I look at the watch I first awoke with. It’s been 2 hours since Jay left. The thought of him puts a smile on my face.

            “Hello,” I hear a girl say in an unusual tone. It’s not angry, or happy. It’s as if she’s unsure of whether she should talk to me. “I’m Icentrica,” she grunts throwing a hard hit, making it nudge. “But they call me Ice.” She looks at me and breathes out a smile. I continue punching for a few seconds.

            “I’m Vesper Black, but you can call me Vess.” I manage to squeeze out between breaths. I feel a hand, the same hand that shook my arm in the infirmary, pull my shoulder. I spin around and look Jay in the eyes. I can’t help but look at them. They are so beautiful.

            “Alright then, _Vess_ , upper body strength training is over,” he says staring right back at where I am staring at him. “Follow.” I turn back to say good bye, but Ice is busy. I barely got to know her. Maybe I’ll meet her again some time.

            We continue down more hallways, dimly lit, and cross a glass bridge over a swimming pool. He stops at a wooden door and unlocks it. Scattered down the hallway are more of the same exact doors. This one in particular says _405_. He opens the door and there is a small bed with a bed side table next to it. There is a dresser to the right and a few of my belongings that I recognize.

            “This is your dorm. You must keep it looking decent. The bathroom and showers are at the end of the hall to the left as you walk out. Down the hall to the right is the men’s bathroom.” He turns to leave, but not before adding, “Any questions?”

            “Yes,” I start. “I have plenty of questions.” He turns his body towards me and leans back on the wall. He nods, raising an eyebrow, for me to go ahead. “What am I training for and why should I even trust you? I have absolutely no idea who you are.” I finish. He walks over to me, his face close to mine, and looks me dead in the eye.

            “Because who else can you trust now?” Without another breath, he turns and leaves, shutting the door behind him tightly. I sit down on the bed and a key glides under the door. I take a moment to hold onto the fact that this is my first alone time since I’ve somehow gotten here. I ball up and lay my head on my pillow. I cry with silent weeps, hoping nobody can hear me. I cry for a few minutes and stop. I won’t stop if I don’t force myself to. Boots thud lightly away from my door. I think of Jay and close my eyes to sleep.

            I find myself vigilant in the room I had cried myself to sleep in. Only this time, I lay inert on the floor. My head is palpitating, moving a mile a minute and triturating my skull as it pounds. The floor is cold, but I still don’t get up because I can’t move. I wiggle my fingers and start to call out for someone to help me. It’s no use; the help cry comes out as a wheeze. I inaugurate my panic mode. I stare in the corner, thrashing my head violently as it comes closer. The shadow, only a foot away now lifts his arms and a knife is pulled. The shadow pulls its arm back and swings. In an instant, I wake up, still on the floor.

            I scream at the top of my lungs. It’s a stentorian kind of scream. The kind you hear when someone is going to murder you. I crimp up into a ball and cry again. _Now is not the time to cry, get yourself together Vesper. You are not a wimp, nor are you pathetic_. I pull myself off of the floor and walk out of my dorm. I take a left and get to the showers. Each stall has a drain and a glass door like my old bathroom at Dad’s house. Tears well up in my eyes and my heart quickens. _Now is not the time._ I think to myself. I go to the shelves and grab a white towel.

            After the warm shower is over, I walk myself to the sink. I pick up my watch. _7:45am_ I read the time over until I realize I have to go back to my dorm to get ready. Walking back, towel wrapped around me, I spot Jay walking out of my room. He looks to the right, and then left. His cheeks turn a bright shade of pink and his eyes widen a bit. He looks down quickly. “Good morning, Vesper,” he mumbles, still looking at the ground. His hair is a little messy but still flatters him.

            “You can call me Vess you know,” I say with a smidge of embarrassment. He looks up and nods at me, keeping his eyes on my face. I feel my face getting flushed. I know I have the same color of cheeks. “I should get dressed.” I say quickly, breaking the silence.

            “Meet me back in the training center when you finish breakfast.” I nod and he walks past me, turning an even brighter shade of pink. I feel eyes staring into my back. I turn around just as he looks in front of himself again. I walk into my room and in my small pile of belongings; I pull out my makeup back. I feel relieved that it is there. In the pocket of it, I pull out a small picture of my family. Standing as one, the rise high up into the clouds making anything seem possible. A tear falls from my cheek. _Now is the time._

            Once I finish getting putting the eyeliner and mascara on, I open my dresser and pull out a black, training outfit. I throw it on and it’s a perfect fit. It’s fitted and comfortable; it also gives lots of leg movement. I put on the shiny combat boots in the corner with the socks in the dresser and head out. It takes a few minutes to figure out where the cafeteria is. Arriving wasn’t very pleasant. There were active people everywhere. They look like they had one cup of coffee too many. I laugh at the thought briefly.

            “Hey Vess, come sit with us!” I hear a familiar voice say. I carry my tray away from the lunch line and see Ice sitting with her buddies. I walk over and sit next to Ice. It feels like when I sat with Maddy. _My home_ My throat tightens up and I can no longer breathe. I have to pull myself together. I look up and everyone is staring.

            “What?” I look at them all.

            “Are you okay?” Ice turns to me and grabs my hands. ESPs. _Fine_ I think. They all nod and turn away, except for one. Her hair goes down to her shoulders, and it’s curly. Her eyelashes are long like mine and she’s thin, but has muscle. She finally turns and starts talking to her friend next to her. She kisses her on the cheek then leaves. My eyes do not follow so I turn back to Ice.

            “Mind introducing me to your friends?” I laugh. Ice nods and begins introducing me to her friends. She points to a small girl sitting in front of her. _This is Aurealia. We call her Lia though._ She smiles and bows her head. She stares at the boy sitting in front of me. _That’s Syrl._ Syrl glares at me. He has dark hair and is very masculine. I’m not quite sure if it’s brown or black. She nods at one more of the guys. _Last, but not least, Demo._ She laughs at him. “You should tell her how you got your name.” Her laugh is so adorable. “Thank you!” she squeals. She laughs again and I follow, but with a nervous laughter. She raises her eyebrows and looks at the time. “I should get going to the training center,” she picks her tray up and stalks off. She seems like she doesn’t want to go.

            “I should get going too,” I say, standing up. Everyone waves except Syrl. I grab my tray of barely touched food, and dump it out quickly, trying to catch up with Ice.

            “Hard to believe, isn’t it?” she asks me. I gaze at her in confusion. How much of it? “All of it,” she says, softly. “Just the fact that we’re here is odd.” She sighs and stares at the ground.

            We don’t talk for the rest of the walk. I wish Jay wouldn’t wait up for me. “Why?” Ice asks as we open the glass doors to the training center.

            “It’s just because I feel like I’m making him late for something and I’m not good enough for that.” I walk away before she can say anything. I get to him, careful what I think and he turns around.”Hello,” I say, nervously. Nothing back, instead he walks over to the knives. They look dull, but still sharp enough to cut someone. He tosses a knife to me and it lands blade first in my hand. By instinct, I squeeze the blade like I would any other object right after catching it. I wince and open my hand. Blood rolls down my arm. I look up to see that Jay is practicing targets. I quickly wipe my hand on my pants, gritting my teeth because of the cut. I look up in time to see a knife hit the center of the target. His position is like the other throwers, until he turns back to me. He goes to grab my arm and I tense up. His hand touches the blood and he looks down.

            You know, most people don’t get hurt until they _start_ the throwing,” The corners of his lips turn up. “Here,” he takes of his t-shirt and put it on the palm of my hand. It’s beginning to sting so I bite my tongue hoping it will help. The searing pain makes my mind go numb. He lifts up and my hand is only pink from the stain of the blood. The cut down the middle is still gushing blood. He hands his t-shirt to my good hand. I notice he has a fitted under shirt on. It shows off his muscles and abs. My face it hot. “Maybe we should start with shooting.”

            He leads me to a separate room in the training area. He hands me a gun this time, rather than tossing it. “Shooting a gun means your hand will bounce back. If you do not keep a strong hold on your gun, the shock will could cause your gun to fly back at your mouth.” He picks up another hand gun and holds it so tightly his hand is white. The bleeding on my hand stops and I grip to gun. It hurts, but I’ll manage. “Posture is important,”

            I stare down at my hand and his shirt. I walk to our station table and set down the shirt. I wonder if he notices me the way I notice him. I wish. I look up and find him staring at me. My face is even hotter and my knees are locked into place. I keep forgetting about the whole ESP situation. “The—uh—ammo goes in like this,” He clicks open the revolver and puts a few bullets in. He shuts it and looks at me. I try to open the revolver but its shut tight. He finally comes over and opens it. I put a few bullets in and look at him for what to do next. “Hold it like this,” he says with his finger sitting under the trigger. I lift my arms up. They’re sore from yesterday, but still I continue. “Put your left foot here,” he adds. He gets behind me and puts his arms around me, placing his hands on mine. I tense my muscles. He’s guiding my gun. He could crush me right now. “I won’t,” He says, his voice in my ear. He clicks the bullet into place and puts his finger on the trigger. He squeezes his hands around mine, making me grimace at the pain. He breathes out and squeezes the trigger.

 

 


	6. Chapter Five

**Chapter 5**

 

 

 

 

            My dorm is quiet and still. I wish Moose was here now. I miss that slobbery beast. I guess this is where the quote, “You don’t know what you have until you lose it” quote comes in handy. I lay face up in my bed, motionless. _Vess?_ I hear a soft voice fill my mind. _Are you okay?_ It’s Jay; I know the sound of his voice. _Yeah, I’m fine._ I think back at him.

            I hear a knock at the door and it startles me, though it shouldn’t. I should have expected it. I drag the covers off of me, and open the door.

            “Hello,” he says in a mild tone.

            “Hello,” I throw back at him. I modify my position to leaning on my right leg. _May I come in?_ He asks, his words cascading through my mind. I nod and open the door wider for him to come in. He walks in and sits on my bed and shut the door, I feel edgy, but I do the same.

            “Are you okay?” he asks, looking me in the eyes. His voice sounds careful again, very careful. My eyes dart back and forth across his face. I lean over, elbows on my knees, and bury my face into the palms of my hands. I don’t cry, I don’t weep, and I just sit there on my bed. He moves his hand from his lap and places it on my back. I strain my muscles and shift my body. “Sorry,” he says, taking his hand away.

            I take my hands away from my face, and place the heels of my hands on my knees. “No, no, it’s okay,” I relax my muscles and look at him. “I just feel like I need to say goodbye,” I begin. “Like I need closure,”

            A tear rolls down my cheek and I try to brush it away quickly, but more follow. “Sorry,” I say, weakly.

            He looks at me and my eyes follow his. He puts his hand on my cheek and brushes away a few tears with his finger.

            “You’ll be okay,” He looks at his watch. “I should go.” It happens almost too quickly. With a swift movement, he removes his hand from my face and disappears out of my dorm. How come everyone can hear my thoughts, but I can only hear other’s when they are talking to me?

            It drives me insane.

            I lean back onto my bed and touch my cheek. They are still wet from tears, but also still warm from Jay’s touch. I move my body so that my head is on my pillow. I lay face down now, my head slightly turned for air. I flip the blankets on top of me and drift back into a meditative sleeping state.

            I awake on the floor again. It looks like it did last time. Though there aren’t any windows, it looks like the light from a full moon shines into my room. I avert my eyes from the light that is now off to the movement in the corner. The shadow in the corner of the room isn’t gripping a knife this time, it’s cradling a baby. I can hardly move my fingers, but it’s enough to pinch my side. I pinch hard.

_Nothing_

            I pinch again, harder this time using my nails.

            Nothing

            I try to thrash around, but the shadow comes closer. The shadow of my bed appears next to it. When it sets the baby down, the blanket falls off revealing a child that swings its arms around. It looks so happy. The cheeks are big, so you know it’s smiling. The shadow gets closer the baby and grabs the head. I try screaming, but the same wheeze from last time comes out. With a jerk, the shadow twists the head, making the baby fall limp on my bed.

            Tears are pouring out of my eyes and I can’t do anything. _It’s not real._ I start to tell myself. _They are only shadows._ I shut my eyes tightly and when they open, the shadows are gone and my arms can move. My heart is beating quickly and I hug my knees.

            After calming down, I check my watch. It’s one-thirty in the afternoon. You really lose track of time when there isn’t a sun. I pick myself up off of the floor, and start out of my room. I feel like doing something with Ice.

            I figure the best place to find Ice, is the training center. I haven’t really toured the rest of the Vault, but some of it is a library, then a bit of the areas are their own things. A few rooms made of glass are classrooms with little kids, age’s five to ten. Then the library has older kids in it. The computers lay untouched as if they have a contagious infection. It doesn’t take long to find Ice though; she’s in the same spot I had met her in.

            “Hey Ice, want to go swimming?” I ask, right behind her. She begins to turn very quickly, so I duck. She punches the air so hard that there is a breeze that comes down towards me. I stand up again.

            “Sorry,” she says, smiling. “Nice duck though.” She walks to her station table and grabs her water bottle.

            “So, do you want to go swimming?” I ask, this time feeling more persistent. She shakes her head no.

            “You need to have a trainer there in order to use the pool,” She swigs her water and wraps her towel around her neck. “But I’m sure Jay wouldn’t mind being a chaperone.” She walks to the door and I follow close behind. Where would he be though? “Try the library. He likes to read a lot.” She holds the door open for me and I walk out. “My dorm number is ‘409’, come knock on my door when you’re ready.”

            I walk to the library as she walks towards the stairs. I take a seat on the ground next to a large shelf of books. I look through all of the classics. I’ve read all of them. _Vess?_ I hear after about five minutes of flipping through the book titles.

            “Oh hey, Jay,” I say, trying to act surprised.  _Do you read a lot?_ His words penetrate me mind like they always do. I mumble a yes and he takes a seat next to me. His image makes me chuckle. How could someone so strong like to read?

            “What’s wrong with the fact I like to read?” he asks, this time out loud. I roll back, laughing and clutching my stomach. I get up after my stomach starts hurting.  He crosses his arms and lifts an eyebrow, giving me a serious look. It only sparks the laughter again.

            “Okay,” I say after a few minutes. “I’m done.” My cheeks are pink from laughter, but his are red from embarrassment. “Sorry,” I say, still smiling. He starts to smile, showing his perfect teeth.

            “You know, there’s nothing wrong with reading.”

            “I know.” I say, now smiling because of him rather than what I was smiling at before.

            We sit looking through books for a few minutes. We point out our favorites and best parts. I forgot to ask him to chaperone us, and Ice is sitting in her room just waiting.

            “Yes, I’ll be your chaperone.” He stands up, and offers me his hand. I grab it and he pulls me up. It’s strong, just like him. We say goodbye and I head to my dorm to look for a bathing suit.

            I don’t find anything in my drawers, so I go to Ice’s room. I knock on room 409 and wait.

            “Come in!” Her voice yells. I open the door and she’s in a bright, hot pink bikini holding a towel on her arm. “Didn’t have a bathing suit?” she asks with a bounce in her throat. I sit on her bed, mumbling a yes. She walks to her dresser and pulls out a teal bikini with wooden bead details. I realize now, that Jay will have to see me in a bikini. She tosses me a towel and the bathing suit. She turns her back to me so I can put it on.

            “Okay, ready,” I say, swinging my towel around myself like I would after a shower. She stares at me, shrugs and turns.

            You have to pass through the library to get to. It is sectioned off by a thick glass wall and two glass doors. The swimming pool is the only place in this whole underground cave that has sunlight.

            We pass through the doors, and there’s Jay. His hair is damp with pool water and water rolls down his abs. I step over to him carefully with Ice, trying not to slip.

            “Last one in is a loser,” he yells and then dives in. I take the opportunity to jump in now so he doesn’t see me without the towel.

            The water is cold, and it goes far down. I swim up and gasp for air. I read the sign.

_15 feet_

            “You can swim, right?” I ask Ice, who is just standing there smiling. I spin around to find Jay, but he’s nowhere to be seen. “Where is he?” I ask this question with more curiosity. Her faint smile turns to a full grin. I don’t know why she’s smiling. Before I can ask, an extraordinarily large splash comes up behind me, making the rhythm of my paddle lose itself. I inhale a quick breath and slip under.

            I feel disoriented, but I find the surface quickly.

            I turn and face him. He’s laughing so hard that he can hardly breathe. “You jerk!” I say, loudly. I go to punch his shoulder and he jerks back a little, like he’s unsure, but I still hit him. “How’d you do that?” I ask, surprised.

            “Do what?” he questions me, smiling.

            “You knew I was going to punch you,” I say, getting rather agitated. _It’s a defense mechanism_ he thinks to me. Still confused, I go under and swim until my lungs burn. I always use to win those, “Who can hold their breath the longest” competitions as a kid. I come up at 9 feet and turn around.

            “Hello,” he whispers with a smile possessing his face.

            “Hello,” I return. He goes under and before I can prepare myself with a large breath for a long swim, small hands grab my ankles and pull me under. I open my eyes and I see Ice laughing out bubbles. I reach the surface and sit on the side of the pool. I lay back, legs still in the water, laughing at her. She pops out of the water, still laughing hysterically. Jay is in the 12 foot now. He pulls himself up on the side of the pool and dangles his legs in the water.

            Ice lifts herself out after her laughter has gone to a few giggles here and there and walks over to Jay. She sits down very close to him, and kisses him. I feel my muscles contract and I lose my thoughts. It wouldn’t be such a big deal, but he kisses her back. I don’t take time to think about it, I just inhale deeply and jump in.

            I sit at the bottom of the pool, hugging my knees. I squeeze my eyes shut, my lungs burn. Something touches my hand. Not a small hand either. _Ice is gone_ His voice no longer sounds melodic. _She had to go help a friend._ I open my eyes and swim up.

            We sit side by side on the edge of the pool. My lungs are stinging with stabs of piercing pains, but I ignore it.

            “Why did you just let me think of you like that? Why didn’t you say anything?” I say, angrily. “You could have told me.”

            “I don’t see how it’s any of your business,” he says, annoyed. “Why should I have told you?” His voice is starting to tear into me.

            “Because you’re the first guy I’ve ever really liked!” I get up, and grab my towel on the way out.

            There wasn’t another word said.


	7. Chapter Six

**Chapter 6**

 

            No, I do not need Jay’s privy, prevarications. His face is only just a blur, but I know I’ll melt when I see him again. _If_ I see him again. I don’t know the name of who is in charge of this facility, but I have a feeling that Jay may not want to be my trainer anymore. Plus, I don’t think we’re going to the pool anytime soon.

            I’ve been lying here for hours. I’m starting the think that eating, sleeping and training is all I ever do. Last time I tried doing something fun, it didn’t end that way. After ten minutes, I decide I should go down to dinner.

            The only thing I’m scared of is seeing Jay. I’m sure he wouldn’t be too please to see me, but I could say the same thing for myself if I saw him. Turning the corner, I walk right into a hard figure. I don’t wait around to see who it is, because I already know.

            “Sorry,” I blurt out, moving quickly. His hand grabs my arm and I turn around and look up.

“Hey,” he says in a susurrant voice. “I’m sorry.” I look at the ground and lean against the wall.

            “I’ve got to go,” I say sternly, trying not to cry. I’m pissed off that he would act like that, and then think he can just apologize.

            “Vess, wait. I’m sorry. I really am. I should have told you.” I look up to see that his eyes are glassy. I know he won’t cry. For as little as I’ve known him, I know he won’t cry.

            “Why would you apologize now?” I ask, anger in my voice. My eyes feel heavy with tears.

            “Don’t cry,” He’s looking down at me now, grasping my shoulders. “I’m not worth it.” he claims, releasing his grip from my shoulders.

            “Yes you are!” I exclaim. He doesn’t say anything. He leans down and hugs me. I hug him back. I pull away after a while. “How long have you been together?” I ask, just out of curiosity.

            He just smiles and I can’t help but smile back. “A month,” he says after a few seconds. It’s not been too long, but long enough. “What do you mean long enough?” His voice is tense.

            “It’s nothing,” I say, turning to leaving. He grabs my arm again.

            “You meant something by it,” He sounds irritated.

            “Let go.” I say, riposting my arm. “And stop reading my thoughts!” I yell.

            “Sometimes, I think you’re just trying to mess with me; like you’re messing with my feelings on purpose. Do you think its fun?” His voice isn’t a yell, but it’s loud. This infuriates me.

            “Why would you even think that?”

I’m ready to scream.

            “Because…” he trails off. Before I can say anything, he grabs me and presses his lips to mine. They’re soft and unsure. Slowly, we pull away.

            “Sorry,” He sounds breathless.

            “I should go,” I say, turning. I walk off quickly. He doesn’t grab my arm this time. Instead, I hear footsteps in the opposite direction.

            I have to get my mind off of the kiss before I get to the cafeteria. Ice can’t find out about this. I reach the cafeteria and I can only think of Moose. His wrinkly skin, slobbery mouth, and his playful roll when his back itches, I miss it.

            "Hey,” Ice yells running up to me. I have to think about something else. “Why?” she asks.

            “Would you please not go through my head?” I grumble, walking past her. I feel bad, but I didn’t provoke it.

            I sit alone, my head down on the table with my arms wrapped around it. I can’t think straight. I don’t know if this will work, but I still try. _Jay?_ I sit waiting for an answer.

            My food is cold, but I eat it anyways. I push my tray on the counter and make my way out of the boiling crowd.

            I open my door and look to the ground. I bend down and pick up the small piece of folded paper. I unfold it. It reads, “Meet me in the north corridors at twelve tonight. –J” I can’t believe it. The north corridors, where are those? I glance over at the pile of my belongings. On top is my gold bracelet. I’ve worn it from the time I was about 12 until they took me here. I pick it up. The chain is old, but sturdy. It’s got crystal detailing. My great grandmother gave it to me. I wrap it around my wrist and clasp it on.

            The feeling of reminiscence fills me. I slump against the wall and drift off. I don’t know how I’m so tired, but I wake up to a beast. The face is covered with shadows. It has horns that could break you, and claws that could pierce your heart. It stands hunched, but that’s all it does. It’s gone in the blink of an eye, so it doesn’t cause much panic. I sit up straight and check my watch. It’s five till twelve. I pull myself up quickly and throw a warm jacket over my outfit because it’s cold.

            I follow signs until I reach the north corridors. I see a silhouette standing on a staircase. There’s moonlight. The silhouette walks down and I see his face. He grins and I giggle. He lightly presses me to the wall, one hand on my hip, one hand behind my neck. He touches his lips to mine. He’s more certain this time, but his lips are still gentle. They move with mine. I feel a cold breeze hit my face and I pull away. I look down, and my hair falls over my face.

            “I wanted to show you something,” He’s smiling, all of his teeth are showing, He grabs my hand and leads me to the door. He grabs a card from his pocket and swipes it across the scanner. It beeps and the red light changes green. He pulls open the door and leads me out. The door slams behind us as I look around the moonlit mountains. The view is so beautiful.

            “This is where I always go when I need time to think. I went up here last night.” He releases my hand to climb. I follow behind him. It’s not steep, so I don’t worry about falling, but it’s high up. We stop on a large platform, the top of the mountain. He sits, as do I. We lie on our backs and watch the sky. The moonlight fills the darkness and I roll over, closer to Jay. He makes me feel safe. I can feel his body heat radiating towards me. My heart is beating a mile a minute. Seeing this, I still can’t figure out why he chose me to be here with him tonight.

            “I wanted you to see something as beautiful as yourself,” he whispers in my ear. I close my eyes and twist my fingers into his.

~*~*~

            Entering the cafeteria, I sit at the closest table. Nobody else sits here. “Hey” Ice says warily walking up to me. I forgot how rude I was to her yesterday. “Can I sit down?” she asks, still unsure. I nod and gesture towards the seat. She sits directly across from me.

            “I’m sorry,” I apologize. “I just had a lot on my mind yesterday.” I look down. I hear her clear her throat and lightly slap her palms on the table.

            “Yeah, I totally get it.” She starts. “It must have been quite a day for you.” I think about how betrayed she must feel. It’s not right, but how can I tell her. Should I even tell her? “I’ve got to go train,” She leaves quickly, wiping her face as she leaves. I made her cry.

            I close my eyes and inhale deeply. “Vess, I need you to follow me right now,” I open my eyes to Jay standing there. He looks worried. I stand up and follow him swiftly down an unknown route of hallways. I end up in an office with 30 other people.

            “The US government needs our help. They are in dire need of soldiers. You need to go fight for your country. The Necrosis, ESPs, Pressuras, and Somondre, you will all fight together on a top secret mission. You are the Perennials, and you must fight.”


End file.
